Irregular maritime migration across the Bay of Bengal to Southeast Asia entered a period of crisis in spring 2015 as a wave of migrants and refugees crossed, most departing from ports in Myanmar and Bangladesh, with many facing critical danger along the way. This MPI-IOM Issue in Brief puts the crisis into context and offers a consideration of what recent history has to teach about responses to maritime migration crises.

Despite the broad appeal of the concept of "mainstreaming" in integration policy in Europe, few agree on its exact meaning. This report synthesizes the findings of the UPSTREAM project's country case studies, which examined the extent to which governments in France, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom are employing mainstreaming to meet the needs of rapidly diversifying populations.

MPI's Transatlantic Council on Migration convened its thirteenth plenary meeting to propose innovative solutions to address the increasing strains on the global protection system amid huge displacement. This Council Statement highlights the need for national governments and international actors to respond proactively to rising displacement and to look beyond the care-and-maintenance model of protection and help the long-term displaced find their economic and social footing.

There has been growing international recognition that continued movement and migration often play an important role in shaping refugees' lives after their initial flight. This report considers the extent to which labor migration is being used—or could be used in the future—to strengthen the international refugee protection regime and facilitate durable solutions for more refugees, many of whom have been displaced for many years.

The majority of the 51 million people displaced in the world today are in protracted situations, forcing them to live in limbo for years. This policy brief by the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees argues for long-term development solutions and a new narrative that emphasizes refugees' potential to contribute to host and origin communities through their own human capital, transnational connections, and dedicated international assistance.

Today's refugee protection regime, established in the aftermath of World War II, is ill-equipped to meet the protection needs of contemporary displacement situations. This report explores the main sources of strain on the existing system of protection, and examines the two most promising avenues for strengthening the system: development- and mobility-focused approaches.

Use this data tool—referred to as “one addictive interactive map”—to examine immigrant populations by country of origin and destination. Find out how many Americans live in Mexico, how many Ukrainians in Russia, or Filipinos in Saudi Arabia, for example.

Immigration, Skills, and Mobility in the Transatlantic Labor Market looks at how governments can improve the recognition of foreign qualifications through domestic public policies and through international cooperation.

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Recent Activity

Offering insights on migration issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region today, this event launches an issue brief that explores Asia-Pacific priorities for the 2014 Global Forum on Migration and Development and examines ways the GMFD can be a results-oriented forum.

A discussion focused the 2014 Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD): its agenda, the policy areas that seem ripe for action, and what impact the discussions will have on the post-2015 development agenda.

This report analyzes how recent immigrants to France fare in the country's labor market over time. The research shows that new arrivals initially face a hostile labor market and ultimately improve their employment outcomes—but their process of labor market insertion and advancement is a slow one.

This issue brief explores the Asia-Pacific region's active engagement in the Global Forum on Migration and Development and suggests modes of collaboration between governments and other migration stakeholders on issues that are particularly relevant to the region.

This MPI event, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), discusses the critical issue of climate-related displacement in the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on the vulnerability of environmental migrants and how the international legal framework can better ensure their protection.

Many of Sweden's immigrants are refugees who lack the skills and education to gain employment soon after they arrive. Over time, however, newcomers to Sweden have improved their employment rates, displayed income growth similar to natives, and moved from low- to middle-skilled positions. This report assesses how new immigrants—refugees, labor migrants, and others—fare in Sweden's labor market.

A quiet policy transformation is taking place in Europe, as policymakers increasingly turn to a strategy of "mainstreaming" immigrant integration—seeking to reach people with a migration background through needs-based social programming and policies that also target the general population. This report assesses mainstreaming efforts across government in Denmark, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

This report assesses how new immigrants to Spain fare in the country's labor market, evaluating the conditions under which they are able to find employment, and their progress out of unskilled work into middle-skilled jobs. The report is part of a series of six case studies on labor market outcomes among immigrants to European Union countries.

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About the Program

MPI’s International Program acts as a policy laboratory for developing innovative, evidence-based, and politically feasible solutions to worldwide migration policy challenges.

From advising countries holding the rotating EU Presidency on migration and immigrant integration matters to crafting policy memos for national governments rethinking their border or citizenship policies, MPI’s International Program strives to inform ongoing policy debates in North and Central America, Europe, and Asia, as well as at the global level.

In the Spotlight

Rethinking European Identity in the Age of Migration

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This panel discussion explores the factors driving societal discontent in Europe and the role played by immigration. Panelists include Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, and former UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke.

The Regional Migration Study Group

The Study Group was formed to develop and promote a longer-term vision of how to build a stronger social and economic foundation for the U.S., Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras through more effective and collaborative approaches to migration and human-capital development.

Developing a Road Map for Engaging Diasporas in Development: A Handbook

The user-friendly guide, a project of MPI and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), offers a strategic road map for governments to build a constructive relationship with diasporas and examines the success and failure of policies, programs, and initiatives undertaken to date.

Resources

Country Resources from MPI's Online JournalAs the main arbiters of where, when, and how people may cross borders, individual countries still hold most of the keys to the immigration and integration trajectories of increasingly diverse flows of migrants. Articles in the Migration Information Source catalogue and contextualize the migration experiences of more than 70 countries.

Media Resources

Experts

Demetrios G. Papademetriou is Co-Founder of MPI and President of Migration Policy Institute Europe.
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Elizabeth Collett is Director of Migration Policy Institute Europe and Senior Advisor to MPI's Transatlantic Council on Migration.
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